The is a guest post by Chris Philp, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Hampstead & Kilburn.
The Liberal Democrats at both national and local level have adopted an aggressive anti-Israel stance. They choose to communicate this message particularly in areas with large Muslim populations – suggesting that their anti-Israel stance is motivated by a desire to win Muslim votes.
During Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s effort to stop rocket attacks from Hamas in Gaza, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg came right out and said that “we must stop arming Israel” and even called for trade sanctions against Israel. This was echoed by the Lib Dems’ MP from Rochdale who branded Israeli actions a “massacre” and said to a rally in Trafalgar Square: “I am here on behalf of Nick Clegg to show solidarity for the people of Palestine….I want to stop the massacre [by Israel]”.
Jenny Tonge remains a member of the Lib Dems in the Lords, despite calling for an investigation into whether the IDF were harvesting body parts in Haiti – an outrageous and totally unsupported allegation. She was made a Lord by the Lib Dems after expressing sympathy with suicide bombers. She may well have finally lost her job as a Health Spokesperson, but surely the whip should be withdrawn and she should be expelled from Lib Dems entirely. It took years of antisemitic remarks for Tonge even to lose the Spokesperson job.
At a local level, the Lib Dems have ruthlessly targeted voters in Muslim areas with an anti-Israel message to whip up hatred against Israel and garner votes. Here is an example of a leaflet they used in an area of Redbridge with a large Muslim community – again calling for Israel to be disarmed and showing a photo of a dead child in Gaza. A similar Lib Dem leaflet was aimed at the Muslim community in the Kings Cross area of the Borough of Camden. Indeed, the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate there, Jo Shaw, has made great play of her opposition to Israel, as shown by her website. The website post is totally unashamed about the fact the Lib Dems used the issue to recruit new Muslim members, saying: “The meeting was to welcome new Lib Dem members from Camden’s Bangladeshi community, who were heartened by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg being the only mainstream party leader to call for a halt to arm sales to Israel”.
Here in Hampstead & Kilburn, where I’m the Conservative parliamentary candidate and there is a large Jewish community, we don’t see any Lib Dem leaflets calling for Israel to be disarmed. Instead, the Lib Dems put out cheery leaflets targeted specifically at Jewish voters (somehow, they seem to have compiled a list of Jewish people in the area). The leaflets have Hebrew script, and imply friendship with Israel through photos of their candidate at the Western Wall and with members of the Knesset, accompanied by claims to “understand the community”.
What leaves me staggered is that these leaflets – with Hebrew lettering and targeted at Jewish voters – were produced by the Camden Lib Dems, the very same organisation who sent the leaflets to Muslim voters in Kings Cross calling for Israel to be disarmed. They may even have been printed on the same machine for all I know.
The double standards are truly breathtaking. I have stood up and said this publicly already. For the record, I’m a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel. I spent a very happy summer in 1994 living and studying at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. Israel, like any country, must have the right to ensure its security against terrorist attack.
What the Lib Dems have been doing to whip up hatred against Israel to win votes in a UK election is totally unacceptable, and pours fuel on the flames of racial and religious tension. I condemn it unequivocally.
Chris Philp is the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Hampstead & Kilburn. He is pictured below with Conservative Friends of Israel director Stuart Polak.
Nick Clegg did the bare minimum he could get away with in ‘dealing with’ Jenny Tonge. The fact she is still in the Lords with the whip says that Clegg is either a coward or an antisemite himself. Neither option inspires confidence does it?
This is really worrying stuff. I have long been asking Ed Fordham (Lib Dem PPC in this constituency) about it, and this post suggests my concernes about the Lib Dems were right. If it is as it seems, it’s pretty shameful manipulation of a minority community, and it’s a dreadful way to campaign.
Good luck Chris I hope you get elected to parliament.
And when the LibDem’s come knocking on my door shmoozing ( Leeds N.E.)they are gonna get a kick up their 2 faced tochus.
Interesting post Mr Philp. I tend to balk at a few key Tory policies domestically but you are perhaps the best party when it comes to Israel. Tony Blair was a friend to us but I do not feel Gordon Brown is as supportive. The Liberal Democrats are appalling.
Jenny Tonge is proven as a poisonous Jew-hater. If she has not been kicked out of the Liberal Democrats before polling day I will not vote for them. Simples.
What a pathetic tactic. How did they think they were going to get away with that? Playing one community off against another is a shabby and divisive thing to do.
Although I quite like my local LibDem candidate I will be explaining to him why I cannot vote LibDem at the election.
I don’t know where you find the time Chassy.
Thanks – but Mr Philps wrote it not me!
has tonge actually even been sacked?
the libdem website still has her listed as the spokesperson for health (http://www.libdems.org.uk/peers_detail.aspx?name=Baroness_Tonge&pPK=ea9f44b2-bdcd-4024-b0d3-67722eb2c125).
i emailed them a couple of weeks ago asking for a confirmation that she has been sacked, given the conflicting information on the website, but am yet to receive a reply.
I was there in person to hear Nick Clegg claim in March 2009 that Jenny Tonge “does not speak on the Middle East for the Liberal Democrats”. He was reminded that the Liberal Democrat website lists her as an expert on the Middle East. It was promised that this would be recitified.
Then, last month Ed Fordham was asked on Facebook why she was still listed as an expert on the Middle East and he repeated the promise that the page was about to be updated.
Have they updated it? Have they heck. The woman who doesn’t speak for the Liberal Democrats on the Middle East is still listed on the Liberal Democrat website as an expert on the Middle East.
The Liberal Democrats think we’re idiots. They think they can pose in front of the Kotel (a sick stunt) and target houses with menorahs (creepy or what) and that nobody will notice their true stance on Israel.
I was in Israel last week and two different people asked me how a ‘liberal’ party could have so many sick people in it’s number. Good question, I thought…
They showed their true colours in Rochdale in the 05 general election. It was a disgrace to democracy.
In Chris’s article he links to a local newspaper piece in which Ed Fordham again cowers from making any meaningful statement on the issue.
But he does – astonishingly – say: “We are pro peace and against military action.”
Mr Fordham, if only you knew how pro peace the people of Israel are and have always been since the pioneers formed the state. Read some history, open your eyes: Israel is more pro peace than you’ll ever be.
Mr Fordham, if only you knew how pro peace the people of Israel are
There is a difference between being pro-peace and pro-unconditional surrender of your enemies.
Chris – thank you for writing this important piece. The voters have a right to know that this sort of thing is going on so that they can make informed choices.
oh change the record blahblah. Israel has made peace with former enemies never requiring their unconditional surrender. Netanyahu spelt out a very clear vision of peace with the Palestinians, too, last year in his Bar Ilan speech. It didn’t involve unconditional surrender.
You’re such a bore with your constant and unreasonable anti-Israel sentiment. It’s almost comic in its absurdity. Israel is an extremely serious partner for peace with any state that has similar ambitions and a willingness to discuss the issues and come to a settlement.
It’s almost comic in its absurdity.
One of my readers in Israel thinks ‘blah’ is me doing a parody. I promise it’s not!
You’re such a bore with your constant and unreasonable anti-Israel sentiment.
Hey,I do anti-American too.I’m not nostalgic for the days of British imperialism either.You ever notice how “settlements” fit really well into any description of a “colonial” situation?
Something for you to ponder perhaps,if you ever look at a map of the West Bank and wonder,well,where the hell are you going to put any Palestinian State if the settlements stay put?
Good luck Chris. No Jew should be voting anything other than Conservative at this election. If you want to see the difference between the Conservatives and Labour/LibDem, see EDM 502 (against any change to Universal Jurisdiction). It’s signed by 71 Labour, 45 LibDem and only 1 Conservative.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40074
Here is the email sent to Duvidl today in response to his question to Clegg about when he would make good on his promise to withdraw the whip from Tonge. Clearly the refusal to answer indicates nothing will happen before the election, so Duvidl replied he would be voting for Chris Philp, since Duvidl lives in Hampstead and Kilburn constituency:
“Dear (Duvid)
Many thanks for your email to Nick Clegg MP. Nick has asked me to contact you on his behalf. I apologise for the delay in responding but I hope you’ll understand that, due to the sheer volume of correspondence that Nick has been receiving, it can take some time for us to reply.
I’m very sorry you were so angered and disappointed by Baroness Tonge’s comments. We believe that the comments were wrong, distasteful and provocative and recognise the deep and understandable distress they have caused to the Jewish community. As I’m sure you know, Nick decided that Jenny Tonge would stand down as Liberal Democrat health spokesperson in the Lords. While Nick does not believe that Jenny Tonge is anti-semitic or racist, he regards her comments as wholly unacceptable. The Liberal Democrats do not give any credence whatsoever to the allegations made against the IDF humanitarian operation in Haiti, we do not believe there is any need for an investigation and we entirely understand why the idea would be deeply offensive to the Jewish community.
Furthermore, I can assure you that Nick and the Liberal Democrats completely abhor all forms of racism and anti-Semitism. Nick was the only party leader to oppose UK participation in the UN’s Durban II conference, because it would serve as a platform for anti-Semitism and Chris Huhne, as our Shadow Home Secretary, has also taken a lead on calling for action to deal with anti-Semitic violence and lobbied the Government on this. As Shadow Home Secretary, Nick previously worked very closely with the Community Security Trust on the issue of anti-Semitic violence. Last year, Nick also made a speech raising the issue of anti-Semitism and expressing his alarm at the rise in anti-Semitic violence. Please do rest absolutely assured that we know how serious this form of prejudice is and that, as a party, we are committed to helping lead the fight against it.
Nick Clegg and Ed Davey (our Shadow Foreign Secretary) set Liberal Democrat policy on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. We remain committed to a fair, two-state solution – with security for Israel and a viable state for Palestinians. We have raised our deep concerns over Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip over the last year, while also unequivocally condemning Hamas’ actions – both for humanitarian reasons and because we believe that Israel’s current approach is not in its own long-term interests, any more than those of the Palestinian people.
Thank you once again for emailing us. Please find below a copy of Nick’s statement regarding Baroness Tonge for your interest.
Best wishes,
Bess Mayhew
Office of Nick Clegg MP
STATEMENT FROM NICK CLEGG MP:
“Following discussions with the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, Lord McNally, I have decided that Jenny Tonge will stand down as Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson in the Lords following her unacceptable comments suggesting an inquiry into highly offensive allegations against the IDF humanitarian operation in Haiti.
The comments were wrong, distasteful and provocative and I recognise the deep and understandable distress they have caused to the Jewish community.
While I do not believe that Jenny Tonge is anti-semitic or racist, I regard her comments as wholly unacceptable.
Jenny Tonge apologises unreservedly for the offence she has caused.”
ENDS
NOTE: This email and any attachments to it (the “email”) are intended for a specific recipient(s) and its contents may be confidential, privileged and/or otherwise protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone or email, and delete it from your records. You must not disclose, distribute, copy or otherwise use this email. Please note that email is not a secure form of communication and that the Liberal Democrats (“the Party”) is not responsible for loss arising from viruses contained in this email nor any loss arising from its receipt or use. Any opinion expressed in this email is not necessarily that of the Party and may be personal to the sender.” “
Yeah, thanks for that. This has made me forget the Conservative Party’s relentless backing of countless oppressive regimes throughout the 1980s, selling arms to mass murderers. It is also great to read the opinion of someone who claims to be a senior member of the Zionist federation, exhorting people to vote for the United Kingdom’s most reactionary, racist party on the mainstream, on the completely unspurious grounds that they are connected to the no doubt important battle against anti Semitism.
Note that there is no swearing in this post, rendering it completely able to be accepted for postage by that wholly effective political activist, Chas Newkey Burden.
Chas you praise an anti-gay country an anti-gay religion and now an anti-gay party. Tsk.
An anti-gay country? I disagree. Not sure how you’ve come to your conclusion, but here is how I came to mine.
An anti-gay religion? That is an overly simplistic statement, but that issue is irrelevant to this discussion anyway.
The Conservative Party anti-gay? How so? Can you point to present day evidence of this? And can you show where I have “praised” the Conservative Party?
@Naomi – Baroness Tonge has been sacked from her job as health spokesperson but she still retains the party whip.
Even worse there is a petition arguing that she should be reinstated! Some information about the petition can be found here http://modernityblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/walk-away/
In response, I have set up a counter petition, which can be found here http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nosupportforantisemitism/
I too emailed Nick Clegg and received a standard reply from his office. He is still refusing to acknowledge that Baroness Tonge is a racist. If he fails to recognise that, then surely his apology cannot be genuine?
Just to clarify, any mainstream party candidate who is willing to make a meaningful statement of support for Israel is welcome to guest post here.
The fact they guest post here does not automatically mean I support them or their party.
In this instance I do hope Chris Philp wins.
Blahblahblah: do you not concede that Palestinians have been offered a number of peaceful settlements that, whilst not their ideal, are also not calls for “unconditional surrender”?
It is unfair for you to suggest that the average Israeli or even the average Israeli politician expects “unconditional” surrender. Most are prepared to give in to any number of conditions, but are rebuffed time and again. Is it not true that agencies like Hamas require and demand truly unconditional surrender? No?
How Could You
Every religion has its’fundamentalists . Judaism is no different . However the ultra orthodox are not just homophobic but secularphobic in general. This includes segregation and a lack of tolerance for different values eg infringement of dress code for women,breaking the Sabbath etc.
The vast majority of secular Jews /Israelis do not judge a man or woman on the basis of their sexuality . If they judge at all ,it is on the basis of a persons words and deeds .
As for Israel being antigay , you will not encounter people strung up by the neck from crane jibs in town squares on account of their sexuality as is the case in Iran or being stoned to death or beheaded as is the case in other benighted Islamic states.
Israel is a tolerant enlightened state similar to any other Western democratic nation.
I would suggest that it is your views that are intolerant and quite uninformed.
Forgive me while I reminisce but – I don’t recall very much support for Israel from the Conservatives during the Gaza war. Didn’t your shadow forign secrtary Mr Hague, side with those who wanted a more aggressively anti Israeli stance than the then Labour Prime Minister was adopting?
I also recall that the Conservatives cut off arms to Israel during the Yom Kippur war. I am not saying the Tories are worse than anyone else – merely that they are probably not much better. I well recall the years of Tory hegemony in North London as lad when Tory candidates thought they could play the Jewish vote like a barrel organ.
I am certainly not uncritical of the Lib Dems whose position is particularly shameful – Jenny Tonge should have been expelled long ago – but whether that is becasue they are especialy anti Israel or even anti semitic OR whether as I often suspect is the case, they are just more opportunistic than the other parties is debatable. But just to be clear if it is the latter, then what is described in the article is an especially disgusting example of that opportunism. I could never vote Lib Dem.
NM,from what I understand,responsibility for the breakdown of negotiations for the various peace settlements you describe is hotly contested.When it comes to public opinion in Israel,would you concede that a large majority regard “concessions”,i.e, a return ‘67 borders (approx),Jerusalem,settlements etc,as terrorism being rewarded.Put bluntly,”why should we make concessions?We won!”
As to Hamas,it’s a tricky one-but it’s not exactly surprising given that the strategy of Israel has aimed at sowing disunity within the Palestinian side.I take it you are aware that the emergence of Hamas was welcomed by some as a counterweight to Fatah/PLO? Why not go even further?
“Netanyahu established Hamas, gave it life, freed Sheikh Yassin and gave him the opportunity to blossom”.
Ehud Olmert
Duvid – I got exactly the same reply as you did from the Lib Dems.
Useful article, thanks. How principled the LibDems are.
blahblah… writes “…freed Sheikh and gave him….”
In the same piece on wikipedia (which you don’t credit), it also says, “Israel supported Hamas starting in the late 1970s as a “counterbalance to the Palestine Liberation Organization”.[3] At that time, Hamas’s focus was on “religious and social work”. The grassroots movement concentrated on social issues such as exposing corruption, administration of waqf (trusts) and organizing community projects”.
blah….”Put bluntly,”why should we make concessions?We won!””
Actually, not why should, but after rockets from Gaza, HOW CAN we make further concessions?
Why am I responding to the king of C&P?
Blah is such a div!
The leafletgate story is in the Jewish Chronicle. Look at Ed Fordham yet again fail to offer even the mildest form of meaningful statement about Israel, but instead come out with more patronising meaningless vaguery.
To paraphrase DF’s comment further up: Fordham appears to be either a coward or an Israel-hater.
‘The next Obama’ my arse!
Mark2: “. . . but whether that is because they are especialy anti Israel or even anti semitic OR whether as I often suspect is the case, they are just more opportunistic than the other parties is debatable. ”
I would suggest both in equal measure. The Lib Dems have for some time specialised in manipulative and dumbed-down campaign literature. In my area for example, they have repeatedly claimed that locally they’re the main challenger to Labour, when in fact they have come a weak third in two successive general elections.
The stakes are high this time as they know that a revival in the Conservative vote may reverse many of their 1997 gains in the south of England. But I don’t thinks it’s just electioneering; the rot goes deeper than that. They have lost their sense of purpose. What is the Liberal Democrat Party actually for? To be a moderate alternative to Labour? To be a more left-wing alternative to Labour? Or just to be different for the sake of being different? In the 80’s they were the middle of the road party but there is no clear centre ground to occupy any more.
blahblahblah: “would you concede that a large majority regard “concessions”,i.e, a return ‘67 borders (approx),Jerusalem,settlements etc,as terrorism being rewarded.Put bluntly,”why should we make concessions?We won!””
Well, no, I don’t think it’s obstinacy, it’s more fears for future national security, which perhaps you would have more empathy with if you lived in a country only 10 miles across at its narrowest point.
The candidates from the three main parties standing for election in the new constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn are asked by Jonathan Sacerdoti to set out their views on Israel:
Friend of this blog Jonathan Hoffman has written this about why he is working for a Conservative win in the general election.
Thanks
These are my own views and should not be attributed to the ZF – not that anyone has…..
“I therefore endorse the Conservatives in the election. I do not believe that supporters of Israel have any other choice but to vote for the Conservatives. This applies in all seats…”
So Jonathan, that would I suppose include the seats of John Mann, Denis Mc Shane and Andrew Dismore?
And for what? On the basis of your predictions as to how Conseratives WOULD have behaved?! But why look into a crystal ball whe you ca red the book. Just read WIlliam Hague’s speeches during the Gaza conflict. Not very friendly towards Israel and certainly less so than Tony Blair. By the way what about all those Conservatives with huge oil interests – fancy them as friend of Israel too do you?
I suggest people vote on a normal basis unless you have an especially anti Israeli candidate to vote against or a candiate who you know to be sympathetic to Israel – not just at election time – to vote for.
I’ve seen some electioneering stunts in my time but this, along with Simon Hughes’ antics some years ago, really is the worst case of manipulation that I’ve come across. With a photo of a child in Gaza on the leaflet and a Jewish community not far away, this edges towards a sort of incitement that cannot be said to foster ‘community cohesion’.
I sincerely hope that both communities get a chance to view both sets of leaflets. It would also be useful to give them the opportunity to have Clegg present at the time. Oh, and a TV crew wouldn’t go amiss either!
Although I have no inherent party affiliations I agree with Jonathan about the Brown administration’s record. I think the Blair regime’s record was very positive, but that is history now sadly.
My jaw dropped last night when I heard George Galloway describe Gordon Brown as “Israel’s greatest friend in the world”.
And while we’re about it, take a look at this:
http://www.hurryupharry.org/2010/03/08/tories-yeah-but-no-but-yeah/
Thanks for sharing the video of the PPCs explaining their views on Israel. I’d be interested to see a similar question posed in front of an all Muslim audience though.
German born Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Heywood and Middleton Wera von Reden Hobhouse posted the comment “Totaler krieg!” on a local website. A quote from one of Josef Goebbels most infamous speeches. Personally I don’t see the joke.
Speaking openly against the atrocities Israel commits on a daily basis against the Palestinian people, and calling for the UK to stop arming the state does not make the party anti-semitic. It is, in fact, hugely offensive to suggest that being a Jew automatically means being a supporter of Israeli foreign policy.
Kristina, who has suggested here that the Lib Dems are anti-semitic as a party?
And can you produce examples of the “daily” atrocities committed by Israel? How about just over the past seven days, one for each day?
Hmm let me think, Chas, how about the continued blockade of Gaza, which effectively treats the population like a herd of animals, caged in and dependent on the little hand-outs the Israeli government sees fit to allow in. It is utterly demeaning. Oh no, wait, it’s all Hamas’ fault, I forgot.
Apologies, your patronising tone made me lower mine
Returning to your original point – can you remind me who has suggested here that the Lib Dems are anti-semitic as a party?
And who has suggested that ‘that being a Jew automatically means being a supporter of Israeli foreign policy’?
And also what would you do about Hamas and its terror?
A number of previous comments speculated on whether the party has anti-semitic tendencies.
Certainly the article and most of the comments state outright or at least imply that by trying to ‘win the Muslim vote’ by condemning the treatment of Palestinians by the state of Israel, the Lib Dems ought not to also appeal to Jewish voters as they did in Hampstead. This in turn implies that all Jews ought to be offended by the Lib Dems’ stance on Israel – there may well be a number of Jews living in Hampstead who will want to vote for the Lib Dems precisely because of their views on the Middle East conflict.
With regard to Hamas, a more sincere effort on the part of Israel to find a workable solution to the conflict, and a withdrawal from the illegally occupied territories should deprive Hamas’ terrorist elements of popular support.
I am not claiming to have all the answers to resolve this conflict, but from reading through this article and listening to the panicked voices of previous comments about Israel losing support of the UK government a desire to maintain the status quo and not to make any concessions becomes painfully apparent.
Just for the record I personally do not think Jews need to have a set opinion on *anything*. I am sorry if I personally have ever given the opposite impression.
I do differ with you about Hamas, though. You say that a withdrawal from the territories would deprive Hamas’s terrorists of popular support. The opposite is surely true? Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 and off the back of that Hamas ran for election – and won – on a ticket that said Israel’s withdrawal was a vindication of its armed conflict.
It is easy to criticise Israel’s day-to-day policy on Gaza but you do not have an alternative and I suspect you don’t live in the areas that would come under immediate attack if the ‘blockade’ were lifted.
I was at a very interesting hustings last night when Labour’s Cambridge PPC, Daniel Zeichner, found himself the butt of antisemitic remarks merely because his name sounds Jewish. There were also calls to stop arming Israel, echoed by the Lib Dem candidate.